It's been quite a while since an episode of the really classic Worzel Gummidge TV series was last covered on this blog and even longer since an episode of it's sequel series Worzel Gummidge Down Under was covered. Well it was about time that another episode from Worzel Gummidge Down Under really was covered in this blog and well then I think I found an actually really funny episode from the sequel series really bad second series and so then join as I review the episode that sees The Crowman trying to make a female scarecrow with the episode in question being called simply just "Wattle Hearthbrush" enjoy.
The plot of this episode is when the local Nuns need a female scarecrow built to scare of the birds The Crowman has to make it for them and Worzel is only to happy to show her the ropes in the best way that he knows how. Now then interms of what I personally thought / felt about the actual plot that's actually featured / presented to us in this very episode well then in all honesty I in all honesty personally thought / felt that the actual plot that's actually featured / presented to us in this very episode was in all honesty not that and as it was easily one of the more better plots that this shows second series had but at the same time tho it is still lacking that extra special something that made the original series standout and alot of that does come from the fact that original series writers Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall had left this show with each episode being written a rotation of New Zealand writers and while it doesn't show in this episode as the plot of this episode was really well done alot of the episodes during this shows second series were really bad plots with the plot of this episode being an example of this show being done right as it shows that the makers of this show could still make a really funny Worzel Gummidge episode without dumbing down the concept something that is seen all throughout this second series with the plot of this episode also being really rather entertaining and as well as being really rather engaging as well in my freaking opinions anyways / at least.
Starring in this episode is Doctor Who star Jon Pertwee as Worzel Gummidge and Lie Of The Land star Meriol Buchanan as Mother Superior. Also starring in this episode is Caroline Hutchison as Sister Mary Aloyishes , Olivia Ihimaera-Smiler as Manu , Prue Langbein as Sister Agnes , Jonathan Marks as Mickey , Power Ranger star Bruce Phillips as The Crowman and The Willies star Ellie Smith as Wattle Hearthbrush.
Now then interms of what I personally thought / felt about the actual acting that's actually featured / presented to us in this very episode well then in all honesty personally thought / felt that the actual acting that's actually featured / presented to us in this very episode was in all honesty really good. Which for this shoe show isn't really all that new as as even this sequel show did always have some really good acting in it even in the episodes that weren't directed by series regular director James Hill the quality of acting was always really high and that is something that really does shine through in this episode as Jon , Bruce and Ellie have to basically carry the entire episode on there backs and they all do so wonderfully and while yes granted the acting in this episode isn't as good as the acting in all pf the episodes of the original series considering the fact that this series of the show is known for being quite bad and this second series is known for being really bad then the fact that we managed to get an episode that does have acting quality that's up there with some of the worse episodes of the original series is still something to behold and it is something that does go to show you that this episodes actors are a bunch of really good actors in there own right as well with the acting that's in this very episode not really being helped by the fact that this episodes script is just so bad as it gives none of this episodes actors absolutely nothing to work with interms of what it is that there respective characters personalities are even meant to be in the first which is something that really does affect the overall quality of the acting that's in this very episode.
In what was a shocking thing to find in this episode is the fact that there is a scene around the middle portion of the episode that does hearken back to the dark and almost gothic nature of the original series. With Wattles naming ceremony being done in way that does make you think of the shows more dark nature which is something that should have been in more of this show as the original series could get quite dark and quite gothic at times and yet none of that very rarely if ever made it's way to Worzel Gummidge Down Under seemingly for reason whatsoever and yet when the show does use those more darker elements like they do in this episode then we get some really great scenes out of it with those scenes being ones that stick with you the longest as there something that really do catch your attention and keep you hooked on the episode and while in this case it was just The Crowman naming a scarecrow something that we had seen done before in the original series it was done in a way that not only reminds you that the two shows are connected but it also goes to show you that when this series really did want to that they could then make something that really would fit in right at home with the original series as well which is something that does work in this episode as this episode is all about not only celebrating what came before it with Worzel himself acting like a teacher to Wattle but also starting something new with the creation of Wattle Hearthbrush herself.
In a move that wasn't really done in the original show that writer of this episode Anthony McCarten really did know to treat the kid audience of this show with some basic level of respect. As they actually explain why Aunt Sally isn't in this episode with it being said that she's gone on holiday with a supposedly very rich man and isn't taking any visitors at the moment this was actually a really surprising move as even in his series they never really explained why Aunt Sally wasn't going to be in an episode they would just do the episode as they normally would which is something that does work in this series favor as the original series also did that but that the same time tho to see an episode not only go out of it's way to explain why she's not in the episode but also make her absence a plot point as it's what she says in her postcard to Worzel that leaves him feeling heartbroken and want to actually befriend Wattle in the first place and this is something that just isn't done even today as usually the writer of any episode of any show would just through in one line about why a character isn't in the episode and that's it but to make it a key plot point as well that is something that is never done and it really is something that should be done ore as it shows that the writer is actually treating the shows kid audience as equals and is not just doing the bare minimum effort to get a paycheck and while it would have been nice to see both Wattle and Aunt Sally meet up as you could have got alot of really great jokes from that pairing it is also something that just wasn't done for one reason or another.
While the idea of showing a female scarecrow is one that's been done to death and heck even the first episode of the fourth series of Worzel Gummidge is all about Worzel meeting his mother. What hadn't been done before now was showing us just how a female scarecrow is made which is basically done by only using female ingredients and female turnips which does seem like a dated way of putting it but at the same time tho for the time that this episode was being made in it is something that does work in the episode as the episode does explain it in a way where it does kind of make sense within the context of the show but at the same time tho they do get a few things wrong as well like the fact that we know that after a scarecrow comes alive for the first time they find it hard to talk for the first time and yet here Wattle speaks quite easily and we also know that a new born scarecrow has need to eat every sweet treat in sight and not stop until there really full up something that doesn't happen in this episode and while those might be small nitpicks in the grand scheme of things they are things that do go to show you that the makers of this show just don't have that much respect for what came them and most likely never even watched and episode of the original show in the first place as then they really could have gotten things that a new born scarecrow does down perfectly instead of just making up something new and hoping that no one noticed like what they did in this episode.
Wattle herself was one of the more fun characters in this episode as she's basically a rebellious teenager but cranked up to eleven. Which is something that does make her fun to watch as you never really know what she's going to say or do as she gets excited when she finds out that her first job has her being placed on roof but then gets bored quite quickly and is happy to go along with Worzel and while this show could have used a character like her very early on just to add in a character who could be everything that Worzel shouldn't be at the same time tho this kind of character would get boring pretty quickly and there only be so many times where you could see her get excited about something and then get bored by it pretty quickly as that is something that would get old pretty quick and not to mention the fact that there most likely would be times where she could come across as being the bad guy of the story when a character like this works best when she's quite clearly the goo guy and the fact that even The Crowman admits to having reservations about her being placed where she was in the first pace does prove that in the end she made the right call to go with Worzel as she just wasn't that happy there and so she went to do something that made her happy which in this case involved stealing a motorcycle to get away from the Nun's that put her on there roof in the first place which does make her the good guy of this episode as she only did what she did not only because of the fact that like all scarecrows she really didn't know any better but also because of the fact she wanted to do something that really does make her happy and being with Worzel Gummidge makes her happy,
Now then this episode has / had an exact grand total running time of exactly twenty four minuets and fifty five seconds. Which is pretty much the bogstanderd running time for this show to have and to be fair this episode really does have the right amount of plot there to really cover that amount of running time but what lets the episode is the fact that this episodes plot does come across as being quite underdeveloped with the episode being more focused on getting to the next plot point then it is in fully developing it's story and as such scenes like Worzel explaining to The Crowman why he wants The Crowman to mend his heart just don't work this is despite the fact that it is a wonderfully written , acted and directed scene and even the following scene with The Crowman just outright saying that Aunt Sally isn't a good friend doesn't work not only because there's no build up to that scene but also because there's no pay off for it either it's there just for the sake of being there which again despite it being a very well written , acted and directed scene just feels like a filler scene as neither we the audience nor Worzel himself are being told anything new about Aunt Sally as Worzel always looks for the best in her despite her being a cruel and horrible person and as such there's no point in the episode in having a scene like that in this episode as it adds nothing to the plot of the episode and it really could have been argued that it takes away screen time from the episode which really could have been used to fully develop the episodes plot but I really will admit that this episode really does gave some really bad pacing to it tho.
So now then as this is comedy that really does mean that I have to actually talk about the actual comedy that's actually featured / presented to us in this very episode well then in all honesty I in all honesty personally thought / felt that the actual comedy that's actually featured / presented to us in this very episode was in all honesty really good. With this episode actually being quite alot more funnier then what it really had any right to be with this episode not only making use of the funny things that the characters say and do but also having a sight gag like a Nun trying ringing the bell only her to get quite lifted of her feet everytime she does so is funny with that joke even being the best joke in the episode as it is something that really catch you off guard as it's joke that whilst yes is a very joke to tell it's still also a really funny joke when it's done really well as well and while this episode does have alot of really funny moments in it like the fact that when he's inside the convent Worzel disguises himself up as nun only to get found out right way that's a good idea and is a great way to subvert your expectations and even alot of what Wattle says and how she acts is really funny as she acts like someone who is just going to cause trouble and have fun doing so but then she'll say something that catch you off guard and that will still make you laugh because it's in her character to do so with even the Nuns having a few funny moments in this episode as well with pretty much all of this episodes jokes not only landing but also landing really hard as well as that's just how funny that this episodes jokes also really are as well in my freaking opinions anyways / at least.
Overall this episode whilst it was still a pretty bad episode from a really painfully bad series of the show it's also one that proves that the makers of this show do indeed know how to make something that's true to the original spirit of Worzel Gummidge since all they have to do is try and that's really it and yet it's something that they've only really done in this very episode of the show in my freaking opinions anyways / at least. Now then i've talked about all of the good and as well as all of the bad things that are in this very episode in this very review and as such that really does mean that this very episode really does earn itself a grand old score of exactly a 6.5 out of 10 from me.
Now then as for where I personally got all of the images that I personally used in this very review well then boys and girls and as well as ladies and gentlemen I personally got all of the images that I personally used in this very review from Amazon . Co . Uk , Wikipedia and Google Images. With my personally preferred website to use to get the images from this very episode that I used in this very review being the really great Google Images really simply just due to the fact that really alot of if not really all of the images that are all really from this very episode with alot of them being better quality then what you'd really think of and all of the images are really of course up and really on Google Images are also really all fairly high in quality and as well as them all being really fairly freaking high in definition.
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